Electric lamp



Oct. 26, 1937. A. G. HRON 2,097,187

ELECTRIC LAMP Filed Dec. 21, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 fiMDMXlV: Aibez'i Geurge Hmn A. G. HRON ELECTRIC LAMP Oct. 26, 1937.

Filed Dec. 21, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A/beri 550m Hm Patented Oct. 26, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC LAMP Application December 21, 1935, Serial No. 55,587

Claims.

This invention relates to electric lamps and has as an object to provide an improved construction for ornamental table lamps.

Another object of this invention is to provide 5 an electric lamp having a rheostat embodied therein whereby the brilliance of the light given off by the lamp may be controlled.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel manner of assembling the component parts of the lamp and the rheostat so that a single fastening screw holds the entire structure together.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved construction for lamps of the character described wherein a single fastening screw holds all of the component parts properly assembled and also provides one of the electric socket terminals and serves to electrically connect the socket with the rheostat.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the hereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one complete example of the physical embodiment of the invention constructed according to the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

Figure l is a view in side elevation with parts broken away and in section of a lamp embodying this invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the component parts of the upper portion of the lamp shown disassembled, but in their proper order of assem- 40 bly; and

Figure 3 is a cross section through the upper portion of the lamp to illustrate particularly the manner of assembling the socket and rheostat with the lamp body.

45 Referring now particularly to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the numeral 5 designates the body of a lamp constructed in accordance with this invention. The body 5 con- 00 sists of a lower pedestal section 6 and an upper inverted cup-shaped shell I telescoped over the upper edge of the pedestal section. Both sections of the body are either spun or formed of sheet metal.

The top of the upper shell I is flat and is provided with a hole 8 in which an insulated bushing 9, preferably formed of porcelain or the like, is seated. The bushing 9 forms part of a socket structure adapted to receive an incandescent lamp I0. Embracing the lower end of the bushing 9, which is of reduced diameter as at H, is a cup-shaped collar 12, the bottom wall of which is confined between the shoulder I3 at the juncture of the main body of the bushing 9 and its reduced end H and the top wall of the shell I. 10

The annular wall of the collar I2 is spaced from the bushing 9 sufliciently far to receive the base of a glass lamp chimney I 4, which encloses the incandescent lamp l0 and has a shade l5 mounted thereon. This construction gives the lamp 15 the appearance of an old-fashioned night lamp and in keeping with this style, the brilliance of the light given off by the lamp may be controlled by a rheostat, indicated generally by the numeral l6; mounted within the body of the lamp. 20

The actuating handle I! of the rheostat, which is preferably in the form of a knurled stem, projects from the side of the lamp body where the base or pedestal section 6 nests within the lower flange of the shell 1, the actuating stem being 25 freely rotatably disposed in a. threaded sleeve l8 which passes through aligned holes in the shell I and the base section 6. The sleeve I8 is rigidly attached to a circular disc IQ of insulating material which provides a base for the rheostat. 30

Mounted on the base [9 is a ring 20 of insulating material upon which the coils 2| of the rheostat, which is of the wire wound type, are mounted. One end 22 of the resistance coil is electrically connected to a terminal 23 by means of a rivet 24 which also fastens the terminal to the inner surface of the ring 20. The end of the terminal 23 projects beyond the outer edge of the ring 20 alongside a notch or recess 25 in said edge to provide a detent for determining the off position of a contactor finger 25 which is rotatable by means of the stem IT for sliding engagement with the resistance wires. One edge of the notch 25 and the projecting end of the terminal 23 are sloped to provide a cam surface to facilitate operation.

The contactor finger 26 has a terminal 21 electrically connected therewith, the end of which projects through a slot in the ring 20 and has one wire of an electric cord 28 attached thereto.

The end of the resistance wire of the rheostat remote from that attached to the terminal member 23 is electrically connected to a metal strip 30 overlying the inner face of the ring 20 at its upper portion so as to be in line with the axis of the lamp socket. The outer end of the strip 30 projects beyond the edge of the ring and its inner end is bent at right angles and riveted or otherwise secured to the base l9 as at 3!.

overlying the outer face of the ring 20 directly above and in line with the strip 30, is a bar of insulating material 32. One end of this bar of insulating material contacts the base IQ of the rheostat and its opposite end projects a substantial distance beyond the end of the strip 30. This bar is secured in place by a rivet 33 which also,

passes through the ring 20 and'the metal strip 30, securely clamping the portion of the ring disposed between the strip 31!) and the bar 32 in place.

As previously pointed out, the strip 30 is in electrical contact with the adjacent end of the resistance wire so that if the contact finger is moved from its ofi position in the notch into contact with the terminal 23 or any portion. of the coil, a circuit is established from one wire of the electric cord 28 to the metal strip 30. With the parts properly' assembled, the rheostat is so located that a hole 35 in the metal strip 30 is in alignment with the axis of the lamp socket so that a screw 36'which is axially mounted within the socket may be threaded into the hole 35, and as will'be hereinafter more fully described, upon such securem'ent'of the screw 36 into the hole 35, secure all of the various parts in proper assembled relationship, while at the same time continue the alignment with the tapped hole anda hole in the bar 32. The hole through the ring-like head 4|, however, is sufficiently large so that thereis no possibility of electric contact between the screw 36 and the terminal 31. V k

The lamp socket comprises, besides the insulated bushing 9, a metal shell 43 shaped to provide threads for the reception of an incandescent lamp base and provided with a fiared outer end 44 which engages in the correspondingly shaped outer end of'the bore 45 in the bushing 9. An insulating Washer 46 is permanently secured in a hole in the bottom of the shell 43, and through this washer the screw 36 projects with its head resting on the top face of thewasher, spaced from the metal shell 43, to provide the center terminal for the socket.

With the parts in assembled relationship, asv

shown in Figure 3, the extreme bottom of the metal shell 43 rests on the ring-like head 4! of.

the terminal 31 so that a direct'electrical connection is established from the cord wire attached to the terminal 3'! to the shell 43, and consequently to one side of the lamp, the other side of the lamp being electrically connected to the other cord wire by having its centerterminal contacting the head of the screw 36.

Securing the screw 35 into the tapped hole 35 thus assembles the rheostat with thelamp socket and also provides one of the terminals for the lamp. It also serves to hold these parts properly assembled with the shell 7 and to this end a fiber washer 48 is confined between the bottom of the bushing 9, and the insulated bar 32 Withits peripheral edge contacting the inner tapered wall of the shell 1. V In this manner the lamp socket and the rheostat are properly and conveniently assembled with the lamp body, and while no other means of attachment is necessary, it is desirable to provide two nuts 49, threaded on the sleeve M3, by which the telescoped flanges of the base section 6 and the shell 1 may be clamped together.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to whichthis invention appertains, that this invention provides a novel electric lamp having a dimming rheostat embodied therein and that it materially facilitates the manufacture and assembly of the component parts of the lamp.

'What I claim as'my invention is:

1 In an electric lamp, a lamp body having a pedestal provided with a base adapted to stand on a supporting surface and an enlarged hollow upper. portionhaving an apertured top wall, a lamp socket having an insulated part seated in the aperture and projecting upwardly from the top wall to receive an electric light bulb, a rheostat to control the brilliance of the light given off by the lamp located within the hollow upper portion of the body, a control for the rheostat projecting through the side of. the body, and common means for electrically connecting the socket with one terminal of the rheostat, for holding the socket in place on the apertured wall and holding the rheostat stationary within the body,

2. In an electric lamp, a hollow body having an apertured wall, a lamp socket including an insulated bushing seated on the exterior of the apertured wall, a metalshell mounted in the bushing and an'insulated washer closing the inner end of the metal shell, a rheostat for controlling the brilliance of the light given off by the lamp disposed within the hollow body and having one terminal in line with the axis-of the socket, a

screw having its headed end received in the hole in said insulated washer of the socket to provide the hollow wall and the rheostat up against the interior of the hollow wall, and a terminal for the metal shell of the socket having a part held in engagement with the end of the metal shell at e which the washer of thesocket is located by the clamping action of said screw.

3. In an electric lamp, a hollow body having an apertured wall, a lamp socket including an insu- V lated bushing seated on the apertured wall, and

a metal shell mounted in the bushing, said metal shell having an insulated washer closing its inner end, said inner end of the metal shell extending into the interior of the hollow lamp body, a rheostat within the body and controllable from the exterior thereof, a terminal for said rheostat having a tapped hole in axial alignment with the socket,'an insulated member between said terminal and the inner end of the metal shell of the socket, a terminal for the metal shell of the socket having a part confined between said insulated member and the inner end of the shell,- and a screw having its threaded end received in the insulated washer of the socket to provide the center-terminal for the socket and passing through a hole in said insulated member for threaded engagement with said'terminal of the rheostat wherebyjsaid screw holds'the socket and rheostat mechanically assembled, maintains the shell of the socket in electrical contact with its terminal and provides an electrical connection between said terminal of the rheostat and the center terminal of the socket.

4. In an electric lamp, a hollow body, a lamp socket enga mg the exterior of one wall of the body and having a metal shell providing the outer terminal of the socket, a rheostat unit within the body having a controlling member projecting to the exterior thereof, a terminal for the metal shell of the socket carried by the rheostat unit, a terminal for the rheostat in line With but spaced from said other terminal, and a screw having its headed end received in the socket electrically insulated from the socket shell so that the head provides the center terminal for the socket and threaded into the rheostat terminal to draw the socket toward the rheostat unit and simultaneously hold the socket andrheostat unit assembled, provide electrical connection between the center terminal of the socket and said terminal of the rheostat, and hold said other terminal in electrical contact with the shell of the socket.

5. In an electric lamp, a body having a pedestal portion adapted to rest on a supporting surface and an upper hollow portion having an apertured top wall, a lamp socketincluding an insulated bushing and a metal sleeve to receive the base of an electric lamp, said bushing having a portion of reduced diameter at its bottom projecting through the aperture in said top Wall, a rheostat to control the brilliance of the light given off by the lamp, said rheostat being disposed Wholly within the hollow upper portion of the body and including a base having a resistance unit mounted thereon, a movable contactor mounted on the base, an actuator for the contactor projecting laterally through a hole in the hollow body portion, a part rigid with said base and extending at right angles thereto under the apertured top wall in line with the lower end of the socket, a terminal for the rheostat forming a portion of said last named part means to limit movement of said last named part and consequently the entire rheostat toward the top wall, and a screw having its headed end disposed in the socket to provide the central terminal therefor and extending down to said part and threaded in the terminal to have electrical connection with the rheostat and to secure the socket and rheostat in assembled relationship with the body.

ALBERT G. HRON. 

